Lufthansa Group to halt flights to Odessa, Kyiv

German-based Lufthansa Group will be halting flights to the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Odessa amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Lufthansa said in a statement online that it would be suspending flights in and out of Kyiv between Monday and Feb. 28. 

“​​Lufthansa is constantly monitoring the situation and will decide on further flights at a later date,” the company said.

A spokesperson for Lufthansa told Reuters that flights would also be suspended to and from Odessa during the same time frame. Odessa is situated in the southern region of the country. The spokesperson told the news wire that flights will still be made to Lviv, located in the country’s western region. 

Last week, the Dutch airline KLM announced that it would not be flying to Ukraine until further notice.

“KLM always puts the safety of passengers and employees first in the conduct of its operation. Choosing safe and optimal routes is a standard part of our daily practice,” it said in a statement.

The news comes as officials now estimate that between 169,000 and 190,000 Russian troops have been amassed near the Ukrainian border. Though Russia earlier this week claimed that it had pulled back some of its troops, U.S. and NATO officials say that Russia appears to have done the opposite. 

In a joint statement on Saturday, the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries urged Russia to choose diplomacy and withdraw their troops near Ukraine.

“We call on Russia to choose the path of diplomacy, to de-escalate tensions, to substantively withdraw military forces from the proximity of Ukraine’s borders and to fully abide by international commitments including on risk reduction and transparency of military activities,” the foreign ministers said.

The Hill has reached out to Lufthansa for further information.